Having a child for the first time, for mum and dad, can be a daunting prospect. There are many, many books out there telling what you should do and you will undoubtedly have had other parents as well as your mother, mother in law and everyone in between telling you what is best.
As if expecting isn’t scary enough and like you won’t be doubting yourself and your abilities, the last thing both of you need is everyone and their dog putting their ore in, even though they all mean well.
Some of the most pressing concerns you might have when expecting a child are:
- What to feed
- How to bathe
- Sleeping
The debate on what to feed a newborn still goes on, but the fact is certain circumstances and your child’s own needs can affect your decision while bathing a newborn baby need not be scary and can be fun for all. Putting a baby to bed can be frightening for numerous reasons but you need to believe that you can do it properly.
Breast is Best
One of the biggest decisions when raising a newborn baby is what to feed them and this has been subject to many studies and debates over the years. Whether or not to breastfeed or use baby formula really depends on several things.
Sometimes it’s possible that a baby just won’t take to the nipple and some mothers can get extremely sore and sensitive nipples when trying to breastfeed. However, this is usually down to the breasts being overly full and if you can get past the initial pain you should be fine.
On the issue of formula, any professional, baby formula manufacturers included, will tell you that breastfeeding is the best choice when it comes to feeding a newborn. However, it just might not be possible to breastfeed your child and in that case, formula should be used. There are many brands of formula made for different stages from newborn to follow on that can be used to wean a child off of breastfeeding.
Splish Splash in a Tiny Bath
Taking a newborn baby to water can be frightening for new parents but it isn’t really difficult and some general rules should be followed and precautions taken. Every baby is unique and some will behave differently when first being bathed as some don’t make a sound while some will scream the house down.
Don’t panic though, the feeling of water to a newborn baby is a new experience for them and some just don’t like it, not until they’re toddlers and bath time becomes a very fun experience; they just love the water. Some concerns you might have are the amount of water to use, the temperature and how to clean a baby.
While the baby is so small most people choose to use either a tub or the sink rather than the bath. Around a 2.5 inch depth is all that is needed of warm water. Place the baby in the water, being careful not to let them slip and gently pour water from the bath over the baby’s body, then you can carefully apply baby shampoo as directed by the manufacturer and rinse carefully. A good tip is to start at the top (head) and work downwards (feet). For drying, wrap the baby in a soft towel and pat them down.
Free, Clear and On the Back
For many parents, putting a baby to sleep can be frightening, not least because of having to leave the child but for the tragic and very real threat of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS has tragically claimed many babies lives and while research is being conducted, no one really knows what causes it.
There are many parents out there, especially older generations that will tell you to place the baby on their side or stomach. Do not do this. Studies have concluded that placing a baby on its back is the safest way to put them to bed as in most SIDS cases the child has been on its front.
Professionals advise placing an unwrapped baby on a firm baby mattress on its back with a pacifier. The bassinet, cot or crib should be completely empty of anything else including comfort blankets, stuffed toys and feeding bottles. Clothing such as a babygrow should be fine as babies tend to get really warm when they sleep so keeping an eye on the room’s temperature is a good idea.
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